Oh now that's a hard choice. Always did like to hear Ghouls, who may be Ghasts, cry as i chopped them up. Then Again A thrall who got himself controlled by a Vampire surely needs to die. Wow but then theres the super zombie who brought his last meal, The worm, knowing I was going to kill him. As a added treat he may explode. I love explosions

I strike at the Zombie. Watch out kiddies he's bound to go Kraka-Boom .

Llvenoc has scampered over/through the crowd and onto the tower and is at the base of one of the chains, a series of 2ft long links about 6" thick of some vile metal material, looking about to do a high wire act over the bubbling lava; down below him some salamanders are gathering. He is 30' up above the rest of the parth and 80' from the ramp the party came down. he is holding his Artifact wrapped around his arm and in his hand.

On the ramp are The Jewel and the Mummy High Priest; The Jewel is casting spells/using items to hold off the approach of the snakemen forces from thier tier and the Priest is casting at the undead and focusing upon the Epic Ghoul.

Down on the undead teir:
The High Priest's Captain of Guard; a skeletal lord; is contending with the Ghoul best he can, The other skeletal guards are spread out in a line to keep the high priest and other casters from getting swamped; in this line on the undead teir are Kosan and Astinos and Durr who each have a skeltal warrior fighting beside them; there are 12 skeletal warriors. Facing the line on the undead side; are normal ghouls/ghasts; vampires; and many warrior type vampire thralls, about 50 or so. The skeleton are more or less level 8 warriors; the thralls level 5 warriors; the ghouls are level 4 warriors with ghouls template; vampires are between 7 and 10th level; behind them is the Master vampire lord who is really nasty. The Epic ghoul is a champion of death and you can consider him to be Epic about 30th level; the southern continent is full of them - how the Master Vamp brought one here and controls him should be everyones concern as should what to do after it kills the Skeletal Captain in about 2 or 3 rounds. Behind the main line stands the rest of the party casting/shooting what they can.

There are three other teirs, like plates around a center column; on the center column is the goddess viaing will vs will with the growing presence of one of the ancient snake dieties. The other teirs are snakemen (abberation) ; demonic lead by a Dark Elf (aberration); and Mind Flayers (abberation); so the most twisted of the most powerful Agents of Chaos.

Each tier has an artifiact upon it that the leader of each teir is channeling power into to attack the goddess.

Each tier is held in place over the lava by two posts, so there are 8 posts total; between the teirs is also a ramp up to tunnels in the walls and the world; so from the ramp a person could chose to go to one of two tiers.

The goddess is wrapped in chains and is wearing a metal harness, these chains go to the columns that are holding up the tiers; so the columns are doing double duty; holding the goddess and holding the teirs.

Realizing there is an artifact on each tier used to weaken the Goddess. I try to formulate a plan to steal one of those items after I free the Goddess.

I remember well the wailing of the Gnoll Ghost, and Axinous's words, The Heart of Darkness is here. Xixian's words weigh on me as well. There is a chance for me to save my Goddess here as well.

In the Mindlink: "The Heart of Darkness is here. We have to find it. Look for who is the bearer of the Halberd!"

I continue forward to free the Earth Mother.

In the Mindlink: "After I free the Earth Mother. I will try and seek out what part of my Goddess's Essence they are using in this ritual and retrieve it. Best of luck to you all if our paths do not cross again."

In the Mindlink. "Think all the artifacts are being held by guys like that Ghoul..... "Which means the Heart of the Darkness is with the Head Viper, and ....."

The Essence of Lolth is most likely being held by the Dark Elf surrounded by all the daemons.

First save the Earth Mother. Then who wants to live forever?

Wanted to give everyone a heads up. I will be out of town starting this Thursday, and coming back next Monday. Will try to follow the game via my Blackberry, but no promises. Will be visiting friends in the Denver Area for Starfest.

The Ghouls diety is not angered at his champion; the ghoul is sucked into the realm of death; tendrils of death energy wash over Astinos, Kosan, and two of the Skeletal warriors; but Astinos' aura protects all fairly well; Kosan picks up two taint points; Astinos 1 rather and no negative plane damage.

"Time to get serious." Kemnebi is heard to mutter aloud, then he starts to glow with a golden light. The glow is obviously a holy radiance, but the youthful cat-man seems perturbed by the presence of the holy glow, rather than reveling in it.

He focuses his irritation on the nearest undead.

"Al right Bast, you demanding wench, let's do some damage!" He hisses, and holds out both arms. From each a golden beam springs out, reaching for the nearest undead monstrosity,...

This is getting to pretty much the be the end of this chapter, so I am working on the narrative with the lead on to the next adventure, so the adventures will need to made some decisions as this unfolds, will try to get this out soon but life has been intruding. Hopefuly I will get this out today.

Yes Dwarves are incredibly nice folk, Especially if you have a few unopened beer kegs ya may be needin a hand with. Ha HA or even a side a Beef that may be fillin up your cold box that needs eatin. Aw yes helpful inded in case 'o you got a pest problem and they need a killin, Call a dwarf and get the job done right.

As the Viel of Unmaking; the great gift of magic cloth from the eldest of the Sidhe Queens, is released from the Dark Elfs hand with Intent and strikes the binding of the Earth Mother; for a long second, time stops. A tear in the fabric of reality occurs with the unleashing of tremendous power. The woven pattern of fate has some treads of reality clipped; the fabric snaps back replaced by the Viel and the chains are no more, in fact; it breaks all magical bindings; loosing the platforms to fall into the lava and among the waiting salamanders. The Earth Mother screams in fury and defiance and the earth responds with a tremendous groan and the earth rips apart as a massive earth tremor detonates. The roof of the cave blows off sending a mile or more of earth skyward in a giant plume. The lava surges upward filling chamber after chamber incinerating the Ophidians. The Earth Mothers swells and grows to 100 feet tall; a true Titan of Power. Sunlight pours in from the hole in the sky and the wheel of Apollo's chariot can be seen through the gloom of dust and Debrie.

On the platforms:
The vampires turn to gaseous form and rise above the flames, if they dont think of something fast that sunlight will ruin their day permenantly. The zombies and others are holding on best they can; but many slide off into the lava. The party need to make balance rolls or state how they are staying on the platform; which is heating up but not anywhere near as stone; seems fairly boyant also.

The Jewel dives for the platform but is to far (darn dice} so she starts swimming; and is greatly helped by the surge of lava; her fire resist spell flaring and glowing like crazy; the reaches the edge of parties platform; but cant pull her self on.

The Dark Elf Archer now miniscule in proportion to the Earth Mother; stands on her breast as if looking for something elusive apparently unconcerned about the conflageration around him.

The Mind Flayers do something dark and inky blackness surrround them and a bubble of force surrounds then and they are lost from sight.

The Four Horsemen leave through the gateway they already opened, the wizard leaving some type of vile sigil of power scrawled in the air; the sigil burst and another tear in reality occurs allowing the Snake God to extend his presence; like a mighty pyton his head and 70 feet of his body extends into the Prime Material plane and seeks to grapple with the Earth Mother.

When the platform begins to pitch, Fox drops to her stomach to keep from being thrown off. "Durr! To me!"

Through her mask, she tries to contact the other mages once again. "The Veil of Unmaking has sundered the Earth Goddess' chains. Her fury has routed many of the enemy, but they have created a portal through which the Snake God seeks to attack her."

Screaming in the mind Link: Blasted dark skinned elf now ya gone and dun did it. do you see a way out up there??

With the Axe side of my weapon I look around for somewhere to hang on while the platform starts tilting. If I can not see anything then I slam my Axe into the ground hoping the Axe point will find a hold that will keep me from falling off the platform while also looking for an exit out of there. Search roll: 18 (1d20) = 9 Adj and Gnome Goggles) = 27. Also using stone Cunning if It would help +2 to search Roll.

With no flesh on their bones; the skeletal knights and mummy lord are swept off the platform which shoots upward like a shot through a cannon, the walls of solid dirt and stone sweap by. The platform is moving upward about 60mph and gaining speed. The goddess is just above the party moving at the same speed battling with the Snake God; whose gateway stays oriented with the goddess ignoring all physical barriers; it hurts the eyes to look at as it twists normalcy.

Firey arrows, like meteors, streak from Apollo's bow at such speed they seem a solid line of fire along the Snake Gods tremendous body; Diana the Huntress shoots twice and an arrow pierces each eye; she smirks until the arrows are cast out and with the Snakes God awesome regeneration power; no damage is apparently done.

Kemnebi; being smarter than the average bear, it dawns on your that the platform is gonna be shot a mile or two in the air and not headed for a soft landing.

Kosan; adding your dwarven sturdiness vs overbalance to your roll; your fine for the moment but you realize this thing is gonna flip over pretty soon; maybe over and over.

Astinous, you have no problems on this platform and discover you can walk about normally, must be a god's blessing.

Durr puts away his weapons; digs his left hand claws deep into the platform and with his right hand grasps Fox's belt. +6 to your balance while this is happening Fox. Through the mask "you are in a pickle worthy of a great mage, little one, says a cloud giant wizard. They gonna get squished n burned alive says a human wizard. You have little recourse, abandon this group and come to us; enter your mask says an elven wizard.

Llvenoc; you could easiy jump from the breast of the goddess down to the parties platform, which spins and is starting to tilt; your guess is it will flip over, but this Snake God is more worrysome as breath is nasty and acidic and an attack from him on the goddess will end you. Frying pan and fire. From your vantage; you see the Jewel handing off the edge with her lower half in the lava; apparently lacks the strength to pull herself onto the platform.

'This is NOT good! We're gonna pop out of the top like a cork onna bottle of bubbly wine!' Kemnebi shouts into the mindlink.

'The fall isn't what bothers me, It's the sudden stop at the end!' He adds wryly.

He slaps his left hand onto the flying rock, his gloves claws gripping even the stone as he digs out a small tied pouch with his other. He shouts arcane syllables almost lost in the wind of their passage, and a pin on his cloak flashes. A hippogriff appears in front of him, legs spread on the platform.

'Grab ahold! Before this thing flips! He can't carry all of you, but he should be able to carry a couple. Maybe even glide with three!'

Cast Summon monster III, Celestial Hippogriff. Used my chronocharm of the uncaring archmage to make a full round casting time a standard action.

In the mask"My protector, can I take him into my mask?"If she knows the answer to this, she will act accordingly:

If Durr can come into the mask:

Mindlink"I have a way. Durr and I will meet you again." And she wills the two of them into the artifact that is her mask.

If Durr cannot come into the mask:

Mindlink"I have a way, but cannot take Durr with me. I do not want to abandon him." And she readies an action to will herself into the mask when there's no other choice. The platform beginning to descend from a launch, it flipping and throwing her off, etc.

Good thing I still have the fly spell Kemnebi cast on me. Having no desire being stuck in the middle of a fight between two Gods. I pour the fresh earth that I had collected early on the Goddess. Hoping there is some symbolic or tangible connection with it would give some power to the Earth Mother.

I knew I should have bought that ring of feather fall at the magic shop. Dang it.

In the mind link: Astinos, Fox, and durr to the Hippogrif now.

Aahaz, Nebibit go with Kemnebi on the second Hippogrif Now every one move and get off this thing before we are smashed.

I look to see that everyone is going to their assigned hippogrifs and look to see if there is an available seat on the hippogriffs or when would be a good place and time to let go to possibly land somewhere I can survive this fall.

If I have to let go before I do I will scream out Dumathion, Kojan make sure if I die I get me bones home.

I can still summon some celestial eagles, but they are small animals, I doubt even a few of them could carry a person. (ALthough they DO have a 7 foot wingspan?!? What is your ruling on that Vale? Could one or more Celestial eagles (from Summon Monster 2) carry a person?)

Concentration check:1d20 + 17 ⇒ (4) + 17 = 21

'I can cover myself. And maybe take another. If I'm lucky, Aahz, you know a lot of tricks, I don't suppose you can fly can you?' He asks hopefully into the link.

Let me know when the next round is here, I'll make a Concentration check and cast an Alter Self Spell.